Process for producing itaconic anhydride

Abstract

A process for producing anhydrides by passing a solution of the acid, preferably an organic polyacid, which is to undergo anhydridation over an acidified clay and a process for producing the catalysts therefor.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for producing itaconic anhydride, which method comprises bringing into contact itaconic acid and a clay having a tetrahedron-octahedron-tetrahedron structure which has undergone one of more treatments by one of more compounds capable of providing an H +  ion to the clay, said clay not having been treated with a metal salt, said itaconic acid being brought into contact with said clay for a period of time sufficient to produce said itaconic anhydride. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1, wherein said one or more compounds is in acid. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1, wherein said one or more compounds is an ammonium salt and further wherein ammonia is eliminated from said clay after said ammonium salt treatment to leave on the clay only the protons H +  originating from the ammonium salt. 
     
     
       4. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the clay is selected from the class of smectites. 
     
     
       5. The process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the clay in a montmorillonite. 
     
     
       6. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the one or more acid treatments are carried out using at lest one acid wherein said acid is hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, perchloric acid, phosphoric acid or trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. 
     
     
       7. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the one of more acid treatments are carried out with a quantity of acid expressed in milliequivalents which is greater than or equal to the exchange capacity of the clay. 
     
     
       8. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein after the one more acid treatments, a treatment is carried out using a ketone or an alcohol wherein said alcohol is methanol or isopropanol. 
     
     
       9. The process as claimed in claim 8, wherein the ketone is acetone. 
     
     
       10. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the acid which is to undergo anhydridation is brought into contact with the clay in the presence of a solvent wherein said solvent is organic aromatic solvents, or chlorinated aliphatic solvents. 
     
     
       11. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the acid which is to undergo anhydridation is brought into contact with the clay in the presence of an organic aromatic solvent wherein said solvent is toluene, xylene or chlorobenzene. 
     
     
       12. The process as claimed in claim 10, wherein the quantity of solvent used is such that the weight ration of solvent to acid which is to undergo anhydridation is in the range 20:1 to 150:1. 
     
     
       13. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the reaction temperature is in the range of from 80° C. to 200° C. 
     
     
       14. A method of using an acidified clay catalyst to form itaconic anhydride, said method comprising the step of bringing into contact itaconic acid and a clay catalyst which has been acidified in an aqueous acidic medium, said clay not having been treated with a metal salt, said itaconic acid being contacted with said clay for a period of time sufficient to produce said itaconic acid anhydride.